Drum practice device



Dec. 6, 1966 A, R, SlMPSON 3,289,520

DRUM PRACTICE DEVICE Filed NOV. 25, 1965 i 1 l i 1 l l 1 l INVENTOR.

Hua/1v R. S 199195011 BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,289,520 DRUMPRACTICE DEVICE Allan R. Simpson, 5656 Spring Lake Road NW., Canton,Ohio Filed Nov. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 509,396 5 Claims. (Cl. 84--411) Myinvention relates to improvements in drum practice devices, and morespecifically to a combination drum practice device which may be used invarious positions for developing different parts of the technique forlearning the proper art of rhythmic drumming. Even more specifically, myinvention relates to a drum practice dev-ice which may be used in anassembled position for practicing the usual rhythmic drummingtechniques, and may be used in a -collapsed position 'for developing thetechnique of maintaining drumsticks in a relatively small target area,or to develop and strengthenwrist and arm movement, all of which `arerequire-d for proper rhythmic drumming.

Certain prior constructions lof drum practice devices have been 'fomedwith relatively large practice pads constructed to simulate theresiliency 4of a drumhead when struck in the usual drumming fashion bydrumsticks. In the use of these practice pads, due to the relativelylarge surface area possible to be struck by the drumsticks, certainmajor parts of proper rhythmic drumming technique are not taught norrequired.

For instance, in proper rhythmic drumming technique it is necessary that.the portion of the drumhead -normally struck by the drumsticks .be arelatively small conned area, such as slightly larger than a silverdollar.

Also it is necessary to strengthen arm and wrist muscles and to developa particular proper wrist action if proper rhythmic drumming is to beaccomplished. The usual practice pad discussed above will develop thismuscular action to an extent, but it has been found that special forms-of development can be accomplished much more quickly and satisfactorilyfrom those which can be accomplished in using the usual practice pad.

It is, therefore, a lgeneral object -of the present invention to providea drum practice device which may be used to more quickly and easilydevelop all od the various phases and techniques of proper rhythmicdrumming as discussed above.

It is a primary object `of the present invention to provide a ydrumpractice device which may include a usual drum practice pad, a targetmember for developing the technique of striking the drum in a confine-darea, and a wrist development mem-ber for strengthening arms `and wristsyfor drumming, as Well as developing proper wrist action for drumming.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a .drumpractice devi-ce which may be used in an assembled posit-ion 4forproviding practice with the usual practice pad, and may be used in acollapsed position for either practicing .tanget drumming as describedin the foregoing, or arm and wrist development drumming as described inthe foregoing.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a drumpractice device including at least a target member having a relatively4small exposed .surface area, preferably raised from a supportingsurface, for practicing proper target drumming as described in theforegoing Finally, it is an object 4of the present invention to providea drum practice device which satisfies all of the -fore- 3,289,520Patented Dec. 6, 1966 going objects in a relatively simple and e'lcientmanner and may be provided at a minimum of cost.

These and Iother objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions,arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the presentinvention, a prefer-red embodiment of which-illustrative of the bestmode in w-hich applicant has contemplated applying the principl'es--isset forth in the following description and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointedyout and set forth in the appended claims Iforming a part hereof.

In general terms, the drum practice device comprising the presentAinvention may be stated as including the combination of a pad-targetmember, a base member, and a wrist development member constructed andarranged to cooperate for supporting a usual relatively lange surfacearea practice pad in proper practicing position when these members arein an assembled position, and for exposing and properly supporting yforpracticing use a target having a relatively small coniined `area -and animpact absorbing member 'for use -in developing muscle strength andwrist action require-d for proper rhythmic drumming. Furthermore, theinvention may include the hinged connection of these various pad-target,base and wrist development members in such a manner that the members maybe quickly and easily changed between assembled and collapsed positions,yet in either position will perform efficiently for the intended uses.

Still `further according to the principles of the present invention, thedrum practice `device may include at least a target member preferablyhaving a pedestal for supporting a relatively small resilient materialpad spaced upwar-dly from a main supporting surface, whereby, lif therelatively small resilient pad is missed when it is attempted to strikethe sam-e with drumsticks, .such missing will be readily apparent.

By way of example, an embodiment of the improved drum practice device ofthe present invention is illustrate-d in the accompanying drawingsforming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate similar part-sthroughout the sever-al views, and in which:

FIG. l is a side elevation showing the drum practice device of lthepresent invention in assembled position;

FIG. 2, a top plan view of the drum practice device in assembledposition;

FIG. 3, an end elevati-on `of the drum practice device in assembledposition, looking in the direction of the afrrows 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, a side elevation of the drum practice device in collapsedposition; and

FIG. 5, atop plan view of the drum practice device in collapsedposition.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment ofthe drum practice device ofthe present invention illustrated includes a pad-target member,lgenerally indicated at 10, having a pad side 11 and target side 12, abase member, generally indicated at 13, having an inner side 14 andouter side 15, and a wrist ydevelopment member, generally indicated at16, having an inner .side 17 and outer side 18. Each of the pad-target,base and wrist development members 10, 13 and 16 is preferably generallyrectangular, with the padta'rget and base members 10 and 13 preferablybeing of substantially equal size, and the wrist devel-'opment member 164of a smaller size, as shown.

Furthermore, each of the pad-target, base and Wrist development members.115, 13 and 16 is formed :for the main part preferably of wood with thepad-target member pad side 11, the base member outer side 15 and thewrist development member `outer side 18` preferably being covered by arelatively thin impact resistant and scar resistant material of anycommercially available type. The padtarget member target side 12, thebase member inner side 14 and the wrist development member inner side 17are preferably exposed wood surfaces except for the various attachmentsthereto as will be hereinafter described.

The pad-target member has an end surface 19 hingedly connected through apiano-type hinge 20 to an end surface 21 4of base member 13. Pad-targetmember 10 also has an opposite end surface 22 hingedly connecte-dthrough .a piano-type hinge 23 to an end surface 24 of the wristdevelopment member 16.

At the end 25 of the base member 13 opposite from the pad-target member10, a normally upwardly opening notch 26 is formed as shown 'in FIG. 1,preferably extending across the width of base mem-ber 13 and having thelower surface thereof covered vwith a soft material pad such as the feltpad 27. Furthermore, when the drum practice device of the presentinvention is in assembled .position as shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, theend 28 of the wrist development member 16 opposite from the pad-targetmember 10 is received downwardly in this notch 26 resting against thefelt pad 27, thereby retaining the Various members in the assembledposition shown.

In this assembled position, the pad-target member 10 extends angularlyupwardly at an acute angle in the order of 20 to 25, preferablyapproximately 22, from the base member end surface 21 to the wristdevelopment member end surface 24, the base member 13 extendssubstantially horizontally between the pad-target 4member end surface 19and wrist development member end 28, and the wrist development member 16extends generalily vertically between the pad-target member end surface22 and the base member end 25.

Thus, the pad-target, base and wrist development members 10, 13 and 16in assembled position present a rightangle triangular configuration asviewed in side elevation and shown in FIG. l, all interconnected by thevarious hinges 20 and 23, and notch 26, maintaining the pad-targetmember in the angular position described and shown.

A practice .pad 29 is mounted substantially centrally on the pad-targetmember pad side 11 so that when the pad-target member 1l) is inassembled position, the practice pad 29 has a relatively large exposedsurface area 30 facing `angularly upwardly. This practice pad 29 isformed of a resilient material, such as rubber o1 plastic, and is ofthickness and resiliency so as to simulate the approximate resiliency ofa normal drumhead when struck by drumsticks in the usual drummingfashion. It is preferred that this practice pad 29 will have 4a surfacearea 30 having a diameter in the order of six inches.

A preferably wooden pedestal 31 is mounted substantially centrally onthe pad-target member target side 12 extending angularly downwardly, asshown in FIG. l, when the pad-target ymember 10` is in assembledposition. This pedestal 31 preferably includes a cylindrical portion 32having the axis thereof positioned :at substantially a right-angle tothe pad-target member target side 12 and extending downwardly from thistarget side, and a frusto-conical portion 33 preferably integral withand extending co-axially downwardly from the cylindrical portion 32.

A resilient material target pad 34 is mounted preferably substantiallycovering the circular end surface 35 of the frusto-conical portion 33 on`pedestal 31 with the exposed surface area 36 of the target pad 34 beingpreferably circular. Furthermore, both the pedestal 31 and the targetpad 34 are spaced considerably smaller than the size of the practice pad29 so that the exposed surface area 35 to target pad 34 is only afraction of the exposed surface area 30 of practice pad 29 or in theorder of one and three-quarters to two inches in diameter, the purposeof which will be hereinafter described. Tar-get pad 34 is, however, ofsubstantially the same resiliency and thickness, and may be formed ofthe same resilient material, as practice pad 29 so as to have theresilient qualities approximating the resiliency of a usual -drum-headwhen struck by drumsticks.

Again referring to FIG. 1, directly underlying the downward angularlyprojecting pedestal 31 on the pad-target member 19, the base member 13is formed with a circular Opening 37 completely therethrough andpreferably off a dia-meter slight-ly larger than the pedestalcylindrical portion 32 on pad-target member 10. Opening 37 extendingdownwardly through the base mem-ber 13 between the base member inner andouter sides 14 and 15 is positioned such that when the pad-target member10 is moved hingedly downwardly from assembled position yas shown inFIG. 1 to a reversed collapsed position as shown in FIG. 4, the pedestal31 on pad-target member 10* will pass partially through the opening 37until the pad-target Imember target side 12 abuts the base member innerside 14, thereby placing the base member 13 surrounding the pedestalcylindrical portion 32 and locating the pedestal frusto-conical portion33 and target pad 34 spaced from the base member outer side 15, that is,the exposed surface area 36 and target pad 34 spaced above the basemember outer side 15, as viewed in FIG. 4, again for a purpose to behereinafter described.

The wrist development member 16 has a preferably generally rectangularimpact absorbing pad 38 mounted on the inner surface 17 thereof andcovering all but a small edge portion of this inner side 17, so thatwhen the wrist development member 16 is in assembled position as shownin FIG. 1, this impact absorbing pad 38 projects generally toward `thepad-target and base members 10 and 13, as does the wrist developmentmember inner side 17. This impact absorbing pad 38 is formed of asomewhat resilient material, but yet a material which will greatlyabsorb the impact of drumsticks if drummed in the usual fashion againstthis material. For instance, the material of this impact absorbing pad38 may be of a foam rubber type and of a thickness such that the impactabsorbing qualities described will be provided for a purpose to behereinafter described.

A relatively small support pad 39 is mounted preferably substantiallycentrally on the wrist development member outer side 18 projecting awayfrom this louter `side approximately the same distance as the projectionof the practice pad 29 away from the pad-target member pad side 11. Thissupport pad 39 may be formed of any somewhat cushioning material, andfor convenience sake, may be formed of the same material and thicknessas the practice pad 29 on pad-target member 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, when the pad-target, base and wristdevelopment members 10, 13 and 16 are in assembled position, thepractice'pad 29 on the pad-target member 10 projects angularly upwardlyand this practice pad may be used for the usual drum-ming practice. Inthis assembled position, the target pad 34 on the pad-target member 10,as well as the impact absorbing pad 38 on the wrist development member15, obviously cannot be used.

As hereinbefore stated, although the relatively large practice pad 29may be beneficially used for teaching the fundamentals of drumming,there are other portions of proper drumming technique, and there is acertain amount of arm and wrist development required, which cannot beeffectively taught and developed in use of this relatively largepractice pad 29.

For the teaching and practice of these other techniques anddevelopments, the pad-target, base and wrist development members 10, 13and 16 are moved to collapsed position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thismovement to collapsed position is accomplished by disengaging the 31moves upwardly through the ope-ning 37 'in base member notch 26 andhingedly :moving the wrist development member 16 outwardly so as to 'beendwise aligned with the pad-target member 10.

Thereafter, all three of the pad-target, base and Wrist developmentmembers 10, 13 and 16 are turned over, the base member 13 moved hingedlytoward the padtarget member 10, while the pad-target member pedestal 31moves upwardly thro-ugh the opening 37 in base member pedestal 31 rnovesupwardly through the opening 37 in base member 13. In the finalcollapsed position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base member innerside 14 abuts the pad-target member target side 12, while the basemember surrounds the :pedestal cylindrical portion 32 and the target pad34 is spaced above the base member outer side 15 -being upwardlyexposed. At the same time, the wrist development member 16, bein-g ofthe same thickness as the pad-target membe-r 10 is endwise aligned withthis pad-target mem-ber, the impact absorbing pad 3S projects upwardlyfrom wrist development member inner side 17, and the support pad 39 onwrist development member 16 projects downwardly aligned with practicepad 29 on the pad-target member pad side 11.

The drumming technique taught by use of the target pad 34 if drumpractice device is in this collapsed position is that of maintaining theends of the drumsticks wit-hin a relatively small confined area duringdrumming. This target pad 34, having a relatively small exposed surfacearea 36, presents a relatively small target to be struck by thedrumsticks, and obviously, if during such drumming this target pad 34 ismissed by a drumstick, the drumstick will drop downwardly against thebase outer side 15, land suc-h dropping will be readily apparent to astudent.

In this same collapsed position of the drum practice device of thepresent invention, the impact absorbing lpad on the wrist developmentmember 16 may be used to develop wrist and arm muscles and propermovement. Since this impact absorbing pad 3S has major impact absorbingqualities rather than resilient qualities, it is necessary for thestudent during drumming to actually raise the ends of the drumsticks byusing wrist and arm muscles and movement, so that such muscledevelopment and proper movement is taught.

Thus, according to the principles of the present invention, the drumpractice device serves as a three-way practice device developing thevarious phases of rhythmic drum techniques required.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness tand understanding but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom, because such words are used for descriptive purposesherein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein is by way Iof example tand the scope of the presentinvention is not lim-ited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the invention, the construction, operation and useof a preferred embodiment thereof, and

the advantageous new and useful results obtained theretending at anacute angle between an end of the base member and an end of the wristdevelopment member when in assembled position with the pad side facinganguliarly upwardly, the base member extending horizontally between anend of the pad-target member and an end of the wrist development memberwhen in assembled position with the inner side facing upwardly and theouter side facing downwardly, the wrist development member extendinggenerally vertically between an end of the padtarget member and an endof the base member when in assembled position with the inner side facinginwardly generally toward the pad-target and base members and the outerside facing .generally away from the pad-target and lbase members,resilient material practice pad means mounted on the pad-target memberpad side having a relatively large exposed surface area and simulatingthe resilient effect of a drumhead when struck by drumsticks, a pedestalof dimensions spaced smaller than said practice pad means surface areamounted on and projecting from the pad-target member target side,resilient material target means mounted on the pedestal spaced from thepad-target member target side having an exposed surface area only afraction of the exposed surface area of the practice pad means forsimulating the resilient effect of a drumhead when struck by drumsticks,the ltarget means and pedestal extending angularly downwardly toward thebase member inner side when the pad-target and base members lare inassembled position, opening means formed through the base member betweenthe inner and outer sides and generally underlying the pad-target memberpedestal and target means when the pad-target and base members are inassembled position, impact absorbing means mounted on the wristdevelopment member inner side, the wrist development member extending ingenerally the same plane and away from the end of the pad-target memberwith the impact absorbing means exposed upwardly when the pad-target andwrist development members are in collapsed position and the padtargetmember is positioned with the pad side facing downwardly, and thepad-target member target side :abutting the base member inner side withthe pedestal projecting upwardly through the Ibase member opening andpositioning the target means spaced upwardly from the lbase member outerside when the pad-target -and base members are in collapsed positionyand the pad-target member pad side is facing downwardly.

2. A drum practice device .as defined in claim 1 in which the pad-targetand wrist development members are endwise aligned with the pad-targetmember pad side aligned with the wrist development member outer sidewhen in collapsed position; in which the wrist development member hassupport pad means mounted on and projecting `away from the louter side;and in which the wrist development member support pad means has anexposed surface at the same level as the exposed surface of thepad-target member practice pad means when said members are in collapsedposition.

3. A drum practice device as defined in claim 1 in which the pad-targetmember is generally rectangular and the pad and target sides aregenerally parallel; in which the base member is generally rectangularand the inner and outer sides are generally parallel; and in which thewrist development member is generally rectangular and the inner andouter sides are generally parallel.

4. A drum practice device as defined in claim 1 in which the pad-targetmember pedestal extends from the pad-target member target side in agenerally cylindrical portion outwardly axially connected to afrustoconical portion; and in which the target means has `a generallycircular exposed surface area and is mounted on the pedestal-frusto-conical portion.

5. A drum practice device as defined in claim 1 in "i e which thepad-target member has an end hingedly con- References Cited by theExaminer nected to the base member and an opposite end hingedly UNITEDSTATES PATENTS connected to the wrist development member; in which ofthe wrist development member opposite from said end hingedly connectedto the pad-target member is 10 WH A received downwardly into the basemember notch when RICHARD B' KINSON Pnmmy Exammer' the wrist developmentmember is in assembled position. C- M- OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DRUM PRACTICE DEVICE INCLUDING A PAD-TARGET MEMBER HAVING PAD ANDTARGET SIDES, A BASE MEMBER HAVING INNER AND OUTER SIDES, A WRISTDEVELOPMENT MEMBER HAVING INNER AND OUTER SIDES, MEANS OPERABLYCONNECTING ENDS OF THE PAD-TARGET AND BASE AND WRIST DEVELOPMENT MEMBERSFOR SELECTED HINGED MOVEMENT BETWEEN ASSEMBLED AND COLLAPSED POSITIONS,THE PAD-TARGET MEMBER EXTENDING AT AN ACUATE ANGLE BETWEEN AN END OF THEBASE MEMBER AND AN END OF THE WRIST DEVELOPMENT MEMBER WHEN IN ASSEMBLEDPOSITION WITH THE PAD SIDE FACING ANGULARLY UPWARDLY, THE BASE MEMBEREXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN AN END OF THE PAD-TARGET MEMBER AND ANEND OF THE WRIST DEVELOPMENT MEMBER WHEN IN ASSEMBLED POSITION WITH THEINNER SIDE FACING UPWARDLY AND THE OUTER SIDE FACING DOWNWARDLY, THEWRIST DEVELOPMENT MEMBER EXTENDING GENERALLY VERTICALLY BETWEEN AN ENDOF THE PADTARGET MEMBER AND AN END OF THE BASE MEMBER WHEN IN ASSEMBLEDPOSITION WITH THE INNER SIDE FACING INWARDLY GENERALLY TOWARD THEPAD-TARGET AND BASE MEMBERS AND THE OUTER SIDE FACING GENERALLY AWAYFROM THE PAD-TARGET AND BASE MEMBERS, RESILIENT MATERIAL PRACTICE PADMEANS MOUNTED ON THE PAD-TARGET MEMBER PAD SIDE HAVING A RELATIVELYLARGE EXPOSED SURFACE AREA AND SIMULATING THE RESILIENT EFFECT OF ADRUMHEAD WHEN STRUCK BY DRUMSTICKS, A PEDESTAL OF DIMENSIONS SPACEDSMALLER THAN SAID PRACTICE PAD MEANS SURFACE AREA MOUNTED ON ANDPROJECTING FROM THE PAD-TARGET MEMBER TARGET SIDE, RESILIENT MATETRIALTARGET MEANS MOUNTED ON THE PEDESTAL SPACED FROM THE PAD-TARGET MEMBERTARGET SIDE HAVING AN EXPOSED SURFACE AREA ONLY A FRICTION OF THEEXPOSED SURFACE AREA OF THE PRACTICE PAD MEANS FOR SIMULATING THERESILIENT EFFECT OF